There's no such thing as a pit bull

Photo by Phil Balko

                Well, that’s not strictly true, but it caught your attention, right?  There is no such breed as the Pit Bull.  While the UKC’s American Pit Bull Terrier comes closest in name, most enthusiasts agree that the term “pit bull” encompasses it and two other breeds: the UKC’s American Bully and the AKC’s American Staffordshire Terrier.  (Visit their websites to learn more: www.akc.org and www.ukcdogs.com)

                In form, a pit bull is a short-haired, well-muscled dog with a boxy head.  By these standards, the American Bulldog, English Mastiff, Rottweiler, Boston Terrier, and countless other breeds could be considered pit bulls. 

In history, a pit bull was a dog used for blood sports such as bull, bear, or boar baiting.  In these contests, a large animal was either tethered or contained in a pit and agitated before introducing a dog.  The object of the sport was for the dog to immobilize the animal by latching onto its snout.  When this gruesome practice was outlawed in 1835 by the Cruelty to Animals Act, many enthusiasts turned to rat baiting.  In this grisly sport, dogs were placed in a covered pit with 100 rats; the winner was the dog who killed the most rodents in a specified time.  The last public exhibition of rat baiting was in Leicester in 1835, only to be replaced by the horrific practice of pitting dogs against one another.

With such a checkered past and no clear breed standard, it’s no wonder the pit bull type of dog is so misunderstood.  When the words are uttered, the reactions are often polar opposites.  Many people fear these dogs, envisioning aggressive beasts bred to kill.  Just as many romanticize them as today’s martyr, as German Shepherds, Doberman Pinchers, and Rottweilers have been in the past. 

The breeds that encompass the pit bull type are not for everyone, just as Chihuahuas, Great Danes, or Border Collies are not for everyone.  They are typically highly driven, athletic dogs, whose minds need to be exercised, as well as their bodies.  Tim Holsopple, founder of Operation Pit Bull, is an advocate and expert on these dogs.  His dog, Laz, has been an integral part of his life for nearly seven years.

Together, Tim and Laz have taken part in agility, obedience, and barn hunt activities, but their greatest passion is weight pulling.  Tim works out in the gym and Laz works out in the fields, dragging window weights to keep his athletic build and to satisfy his need to perform.  Laz is as much the center of Tim’s universe as is his son, Owen.  The “boys” wrestle, play, and sleep together.  There is no fear of Owen coming to any harm in Laz’s company – inflicted by dog or mankind.

While much of his time has been dedicated to finding homes for pit bull types in shelters, Tim doesn’t try to push his breed choices on others.  His opinion is that no breed should be held as superior, nor should any be discriminated against as a whole.  Just as with the humans you choose to share your life, a dog should be both judged and respected as an individual, not as a stereotype.  I wholeheartedly agree.

                 

Rebecca is the President & Executive Director of The Ethel Fund Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to changing animals' lives by providing assistance in times of catastrophic veterinary need.  To learn more, please visit http://www.ethelfund.org or https://www.facebook.com/TheEthelFund.  You may contact Rebecca at rslindeman@ethelfund.org.

Phil Balko is the proprietor of Photography by Balko and donates his talents to the Ethel Fund Inc. as well as other community organizations.  To see more of his work, visit http://philipbalko.com/. You may contact Phil at inquiry@philipbalko.com.